Farmers fume over paddy distress sale

Balasore: Amid allegations of distress sale of paddy, farmers in Rupsa area of Balasore district alleged that they did not get tokens forcing them to resort to distress sale of paddy. They held the officials of Kasipada cooperative society responsible for the problem.

Upset over the nagging problem, scores of farmers drew attention of the district civil supplies officer Rabinarayan Prusty.

Hundreds of farmers from 25 villages under Anke, Kasipada and Rupsa panchayats had registered their names at Kasipada Cooperative Society for paddy sales.  However, they did not receive tokens for procurement.

When they asked Satyaprakash Padhi, society secretary, about tokens, the latter explained that their tokens have not come from Bhubaneswar. The farmers had to retune from the society frustrated. They have finally written to the district civil supplies officer.

Meanwhile, the district civil supplies officer has asked the assistant civil supplies officer Ajay Mallick to take urgent steps for settling the farmer’s problem in procurement

However, the assistant civil supplies officer explained that hundreds of farmers have applied online for procurement, but the local RI had quashed their applications citing inadequacies.

After the report came from the RI, a fresh report was sought about details of their land.

“The RI later admitted that he had not properly vetted documents of farmers. The RI has submitted another report and paddy procurement will be started soon,” said assistant civil supplies officer Ajay Mallick.